Gifts and Sacrifices: Book 1: Part 1
by ThickerThanLove
Summary: Visions start to appear to Buddi Barbic and Sunni Gummi. What message do they carry? And why do only Sunni and Buddi see them?
1. Chapter I: An Icy Feeling

Gifts and Sacrifices

Enter Alina

Part One: Gifts

Chapter One: An Icy Feeling

Ursa Barbic opened her eyes and stretched. It had been a few months since Igthorn had been defeated but she was still uneasy. A true warrior never let her guard down. But Buddi had. She smiled. He had been practicing his flute lately. She'd heard him the other day and had to admit that music was for anyone **but **babies as she had said before. It was beautiful. She'd even told the cub so. She had never seen a child's grin stretch so wide.

She kicked off her sheets and stood. The wind was unusually cold this morning. She went to her closed window and looked out. She saw why immediately. 

There, down in the courtyard was Buddi and Sir Thornberry. 

The ground was covered with snow.

The two Gummies were taking full advantage of this weather. At the moment, Sir Thornberry was losing. Buddi had him backed against a wall, pinned with a shower of snowballs. Ursa chuckled. Thornberry kept trying to counter attack but Buddi was not just a Barbic, he was a child. And a cub was too fast for even Thornberry's experience. Ursa took another look at the two before drawing her window shut and pulling the drapes shut. She had expected snow for a time but for the first time since their move to Ursalia she'd have to use her winter clothes. 

Barbics had winter clothing just like other Gummies but unlike most, they were made of leather that had insulation rather than wool. Wool was easily torn in battle but the leather that had was different. It was thick as armor but had the texture of cloth.

Ursa slipped hers on, a simple outfit of slacks and shirt. On her way out, she grabbed her gloves that she kept for climbing. They would do. As she walked down the corridors of Ursalia she saw Grubbi and Gritty preparing to go outside. The two were working on the weapons today, despite the weather. Originally Buddi was supposed to help them but she guessed that today because of the snow they couldn't drag him away from it.

"Hey Ursa." A voice called as she stepped out into the snow.

It was Thornberry. He smiled at her. "Could use some help here, ya mind?"

"Oh I don't know," she replied. "This is rather amusing."

"What? What's amusing?"

Ursa sighed, "Never mind."

Buddi first seemed to notice her but he said nothing and picked up another clump of snow. Ursa turned back and started to walk back to the others. But then an ice-cold bomb whacked her in the back. She whirled around, eyes blazing. Buddi smiled at her, tossing a snowball in his hand.

She smiled at him, a mischievous grin spreading over her normally serious face. She raced to him saying,

"Buddi Barbic, you are asking for it."

"For what?"

Ursa leapt closer but she missed the cub by inches. He was quick over the icy ground, agile. Ursa was agile enough but it had been a while since she'd run over ice. Snow yes, ice no. She followed Buddi around for some time. He was always a few feet ahead. 

"Heads up!" a voice penetrated Grubbi's concentration. He and Gritty stopped their work and looked upward. Buddi ran out of the hidden corridors, leapt on the banister, and slid down. At the last second, he jumped and landed on his feet. He looked behind him. Then he winced.

"Buddi!" Ursa stood at the top of the stairs, hands on her hips, all playfulness gone from her face. "How many times do I have to remind you before you comprehend it?!" She stormed down the stairs, lecturing as she went. "How many times?!"

Buddi looked at Gritty and Grubbi but they just backed up saying in unison, "Leave us out of it."

"Buddi!" The cub looked at Ursa. She looked at him sternly. He shrugged. "Buddi!"

"I know," he said in defense, holding up his paws. "But I think it's stupid. You climb mountains for Pete's sake."

"But not when they're sheets of ice. And even then, they have some footholds plus I have something holding me up."

"Barely," he shot back. "Besides, I-"

"I don't wanna hear it. How many times do you and I have to go through this?"

"Don't even start Ursa," he replied. "Spare my ears. I know: Don't slide down the banister. Just mountains."

"Bu-udi." Ursa sighed. "It may seem like a dumb rule but Barbics only have a few. I have reasons for them. You slid off a mountain, you can find footholds easily. You slid off a banister, you whack your head on the pavement and consciousness is history."

"All right already." Buddi growled. "I get your point. I also still don't think you can catch me."

"Wha-" but before Ursa could even finish; Buddi had taken off across the bridge. She started after him, turned to Grubbi and gritty and said with a chuckle, "That boy is gonna be the death of me. Or my patience."

"I personally think you worry about him too much, Ursa." Grubbi told her. She met his eyes. He smiled at her. "Sometimes, you sound like a mother."

"Hmmp," she scowled. "I didn't use to be. But in the winter he turns wild. He's normally content to be a musician."

"Sounds like a certain young girl Barbic I used to know."

"I never was good with a instrument."

"Thank goodness," Gritty replied. "You were tone deaf. Still are."

"Ha, ha, very funny."

Gritty smiled at her. "He did pass his Test of Bearhood, Ursa."

Grubbi picked up. "We aren't saying not to worry Ursa but we are saying-"

The two finished. 

"Lighten up!"

"All right, I will. But right now I have a little revenge to take."

And with that, she took out over the bridge into the slopes around Ursalia.

* * *

Buddi sat in some of the small snow banks as he waited for Ursa. He didn't know why but lately, he'd been uneasy. To try and get his mind off it, he'd been running around and playing a lot. He knew that normally Ursa would not have been so keen on his little act on the stairs but he knew that she was A) very tired of his running around like a demon and B) worried about his sudden change in behavior. He wanted to make her happy and stop being afraid for him but at the same time he appreciated her concern. He was shook from his thoughts by a sudden cry.

"Buddi! Where are you?"

It was Ursa. 

Buddi almost started to go but then a flash of light blinded him. When he could see, he saw a strange shadowy figure. It looked like Igthorn. Then he saw horrid images, blood, killings, and bodies. Ursa and the others. All lying lifeless and then there was Sunni. He swallowed hard, tears blazing in his eyes. No this had to be a dream. He covered his ears. But now the scream of others seemed to echo in his ears. He felt it as a roar in his mind. He tried to block it out but nothing was working. He heard it again.

"Stop it! Stop it!"

Buddi collapsed to his knees but he was faintly aware of Ursa's footsteps. He could feel it but the screaming in his ears was blocking it out. He couldn't hear her. He was just fighting to keep his calm and cool. But he was losing. The pain was too great and the screams were too loud. The blood was too much.

"No, stop it!" he was screaming again. He felt his body start to shake. He opened his eyes but now the pain had even seemed to affect his sight. He could only see blurs and what was clear was the red blood in his mind. What was this? He didn't understand. He tightened his grip on his ears and screamed again, pinching his eyes shut. But the blood still flowed, the screams still came and the fear and pain still overtook him.

He was trembling now, almost like he was cold. But he wasn't. Just terrified and overwhelmed with pain. He felt like his mind would explode. It hurt. Those spears that Barbics trained with, he felt as if thousands were sticking his mind and body, crippling his bravery. 

He shook again and prayed for relief.

The pain came thrice more. One… a flash of Igthorn, with a blood stained ax.

Two…a flash of Ursa, Sunni and the others, helpless beneath him. He swung the blade, blood erupted.

Three…A triumphant Igthorn, standing over the bodies, blood flowing over his boots as he let out a hideous laugh.

And then, relief came as the pain overwhelmed the cub and he collapsed into blissful unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter II: Messages

Chapter Two: Messages

"This is boring!" Sunni Gummi sighed as she sorted through yet another bag of berries. They taken enough in for the winter but with that chore aside, another was soon along to take its place. She was supposed to be sorting the yellow berries. But it was a winter wonderland outside. She'd rather be playing in the snow. Or better yet, in Ursalia. She and Buddi always seemed to find something to do but she couldn't see him much lately. The Quicktunnels had frozen over and until they thawed the trip to Ursalia was treacherous and would take days. She sighed.

"We know Sunni. You've told us all ready." Grammi's voice was said with a tad bit of aggravation.

"Yeah, so why don't you just hush up and work." 

Sunni growled at Gruffi but shut her mouth. She was used to his strict and rather gruff statements. Instead of standing up for herself, she just went back to work. Berries, berries berries. Her eyes were straining and her fingers felt like they were going to fall off. She sighed. In her mind, she longed to be with Buddi. He would find something to do.

"Sunni, you know you won't get anywhere if you don't do anything."

"Huh?" 

Cubbi smiled at her and then threw a handful of berries at her. "You're daydreaming again, Sunni. You've got that I've-got-no-idea-what-I'm-doing-look."

"I was just-"

"Don't tell us you were just." Gruffi snapped and pushed another basket into her hands. "Just finish sorting this bunch."

"Oh, I'm gonna be sick of berries when I'm done."

"That's fine. We can use the Gummiberry juice. Now get to it."

"Oww," she said absentmindedly. "I bet Buddi's having fun."

"What was that?" Gruffi turned to her with a dangerous edge in his voice. Sunni crossed her arms.

"I said that I bet Buddi isn't doing this."

Grammi sighed faintly. She knew that she and Buddi liked to play together but as of the late, had no been able to. She calmly sorted a few more berries and then looked up at the yellow furred girl.

"Yes, but Barbics live a different life than us. They don't need juice."

"I know, I know."

She went back to work. Her mind was in it but her heart wasn't. She'd rather have been outside. But her duties as a Glen Gummi came before play. In her heart, she knew that there were times when she could play where Buddi was probably been put through martial arts training by Ursa. Still, she was not thinking of that now. Right now, the only thing on her mind was that she was bored and tired of berries.

The hours clicked by, but very slowly. She tried to make it fun but after time, trying to beat her score for sorting was boring. Every hour she always sorted about the same, perhaps one bag or two. 

"Oh, Gruffi my fingers are gonna go Charlie Horse. Can't we take a break?"

"Absolutely no-"

"Of course you can Sunni. You too Cubbi." Grammi answered before Gruffi could. Gruffi turned to her with a glare. But Grammi merely returned it.

"Aw, Lighten up Gruffi.After all, they're only children."

"But they're gummies! They've got as much responsibility as we do."

"Gruffi Gummi,"

The two cubs looked at each other and shrugged. Cubbi leaned close to Sunni,

"There they go again."

Sunni and Cubbi were more than use to the two's arguments so merely waited to see who would win this battle. 

The outcome seemed known almost from the start. Grammi won.

"I'll go too." Tummi got up. Gruffi looked ready to protest but a glare from Grammi quieted him. Grammi just said,

"Be home by dinner."

"Don't worry about that." Gruffi said sternly. "The day Tummi's late to dinner is the day the sun forgets to set."

The three cubs rushed from the room and down into their rooms to grab their snowsuits. As soon as Sunni was alone, she shivered. She looked around but saw no open window or even a crack for the entrance of a draft. She opened the door and called out,

"Did someone leave the doors open?"

Her answer was unanimous. "No."

She stepped back into her room and tied on her hood. But inwardly she shivered, "Then what was that sudden chill?"

* * *

A mist of rainbow colors swirled by Buddi's face. He turned and was met with another Gummi. She was female, a little older than him, fifteen or sixteen. She was tall and she had the muscles of a Barbic. But her face was of a Glen Gummi with smaller and narrower eyes. The eyes themselves were ocean blue and stood out against her snow-white fur. Her hair was silky and an even lighter white shade. It was the only thing covering her. Her eyes were empty and emotionless at first glance.

However, the cub looked closer and saw tears filling her eyes. They spilt and she spoke.

Her voice was empty and soft. 

"The sea is restless, Buddi. The wind carries the scent of destruction and ruin….

A hot warmth in his throat sent Buddi back to consciousness. He opened his eyes slowly and found that he was wrapped in blankets, naked and dry. He was still a little cold but much better than he remembered feeling. He blinked, trying to clear his vision. He saw a patch of red and tried to look upward. But he was still too weak from the cold to do that, so he instead diverted his eyes up. He caught a flash of blond hair and then Ursa's face. He was cradled in her arms.

"Ursa?"

The Barbic leader looked down and smiled with relief. Buddi tried to sit up but Ursa merely pinned his arms and told him,

"No, don't."

Buddi knew it was useless to argue; besides he felt safe in her arms. He was still cold but the warm blankets were helping. Ursa held a mug to Buddi's lips and said in a kind but commanding voice,

"Here. This'll help."

Buddi forced his hands from the nest of covers, shifted enough so that he could sit up a little more, and took the mug from Ursa with shaking hands. He drank. It was warm and sweet. The taste was faintly familiar. He took a moment and then recognized it. It was Grubbi's herbal tea. Ursa always gave to him when he was sick. He guessed that she gave it to him now because of its heat. It did help. But his hands were still trembling.

Then, he felt warmth spread over his fingers and his shaking hands steady. Ursa grinned at him faintly and tightened her grip on his younger hands. Buddi finished the mug off and then Ursa took it from him. She tightened the blankets and held him closer to her, for body heat. Buddi forced the tremble from his voice and asked,

"What happened?"

"We were hoping you could tell us that." A voice called in. Buddi looked up and Gritty walked in. he threw a handful of wood into the fireplace behind the two and the fire blazed higher. Ursa shifted her position so Buddi was closer to the fire. He held out his hands and slowly felt his body begin to become warm. 

"Well?" Gritty asked as he sat down by them. "We're waiting."

Ursa however didn't press the subject. Rather, she asked the child in her arms, "Feel better?"

"Uh huh," he said slowly. "Still a little cold though."

"Understandable." Ursa looked at him now with determination and worry in her eyes. "Now, if you'll kindly tell me what happened to you." She shot a glance at Gritty and chuckled. "Before Gritty has breakdown.'

"I would if I could but I can't."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Cause I don't know myself."

Buddi stretched further to the flames so Ursa set him down by her knees, closer to the heat. She pulled the blankets close around him and then asked,

"Buddi, why don't you just tell us what happened from the time you entered the slopes until I found you. I found you maybe an hour later. I was worried sick that you were already a Popsicle."

Buddi managed a feeble smile. "You? Worried? I'd have paid money for that."

Gritty had to laugh, despite the disapproving glance from Ursa. He reached out, ruffled some of Buddi's hair and said, "Sick or not, you're still Buddi."

Buddi pulled the covers closer and scooted a little closer to the fire. As he glanced into the crackling flames, he said, "Well, I could tell you what I remember."

"Good enough." Ursa took off her cloak and covered his head, trying to warm his face and ears. She scrubbed a bit at his cheeks, trying to get the extra water from his fur. He tried to scoot away but Ursa merely pulled him onto her lap and finished by tying her cloak around his shoulders so that it added more warmth around his neck and cheeks. 

"Stop, already!" Buddi tried to swat her hands away but his hands were still too cold to really aim well. She caught his hands and said plainly,

"Stop it Buddi and just talk."

"Fine. I was trying to stay ahead of you but then when I was waiting for you-"

But before the child could finish he got another taste of the vision's power.

* * *

Sunni stripped her wet clothes off and stepped into the warm tub. She and the others had gotten back a few minutes ago but only Tummi had gone to dinner. Sunni wanted to change first. But when she was cold, a hot shower was a priority or at least a hot bath.

The waters felt good but it could not ward off the internal fear and chills she'd been feeling. They were always there. Even when she'd been having fun they were there. And as the hours wore on, the feeling grew. In fact, she didn't know what was going on in her head but she did know that she didn't like it. It was beginning to feel like the beginnings of a migraine.

She sighed and sank beneath the waters. She just wanted to stay there and feel safe. But no matter how warm the water was or how many bubbles she created, the security did not come, at least not completely. She did admit that it did ease the pain in her head but it did absolutely nothing for her nerves.

"Oh what's wrong with me?!" Sunni slammed her fists against the water, causing some droplets of water to spill onto the floor. She leapt out, wrapped a towel around her body all the while saying, "Stop it!"

But she had not even begun to beg for a halt. Now as she pulled on a nightdress, she felt the air around her shimmer and shift shape. She looked around, fear shining in her eyes. Then the scene shifted back, but it became just a bare empty landscape. 

"Where?" she looked around and saw Igthorn in the distance. She frantically looked around for shelter but found none. She saw something else that made her shudder. An ax. Igthorn had an ax, bloodstained on the blade. She wasn't liking this. She tried to crept closer without being seen but Igthorn actually turned, met with her eyes and grinned an evil smile that made her skin crawl. 

As Sunni crept to him, her feet stepped on something warm and wet. She looked down, her heart pounding.

Blood was beginning to stain her fur. 

A sickening feeling rushed over her heart and she ran. Her eyes filled and overflowed with tears as she ran. She saw a horrid sight in the distance. Igthorn grabbed someone by the head and yanked him in front. It was Gruffi. A swipe of the ax and Gruffi collapsed. Blood spilled over the ground. Sunni saw the others behind him, just waiting for death. 

"No!" The girl, terrified and heartbroken, ran. The ground slid under her feet and she went spiraling to the ground. Blood splattered her face. More spilt as one by one the Gummies fell. Even the Barbics landed by the girl's face. Tears fell and Sunni ran again, searching. It was her best friend that she found last. Buddi was still and cold. Sunni looked at him and laid her cheek against his chest. She wasn't crying anymore, her emotions had sealed. Tears slid from her eyes silently. Then a hand touched her cheek.

She looked up. A white Gummi stared back down at her.

"The sea is restless, Sunni. The wind carries the scent of destruction and ruin."

Then Igthorn was behind her and swung. The girl was divided before Sunni's eyes and the blood poured over her…

Sunni screamed, shook and finally she collapsed to the ground.

* * *

"Stop it!" Buddi grasped his head in both hands and screamed again. Gritty and Ursa rocked back in shock. Buddi grabbed Ursa's shirt and then Gritty's, begging from each the same thing:

"Make it stop! Make it stop! I don't want to see this!"

"Buddi…what are you?" Ursa couldn't finish. Buddi grabbed her by the collar and screamed again,

"Make it stop Ursa. Please make it stop. It's that vision again! I don't want to see you die! Don't make me!"

Gritty and Ursa looked at each other. Buddi buried his face into Ursa's chest, whimpering.

Finally, the vision passed and Buddi loosened his grip on Ursa.

But while he loosened his grip, he did not pull from her. He hugged her tightly as if to confirm that she was still alive. The vision had been more vivid. He was fighting tears. He was tempted to cry but tried not to. Ursa looked down at him and brushed through his hair. She could feel him trembling. Gritty swallowed and in a gentle voice full of concern, said softly as he placed a hand on Buddi's shoulder,

"Buddi…"

Buddi shook again and whispered, "Igthorn."

* * *

Sunni, only half conscious, whispered to herself, "Igthorn."

* * *

The two cubs, said in unison, despite that they were separated by miles:

"The sea is restless. The wind carries the scent of destruction and ruin."


	3. Chapter III: Wind, Sea and Alina

Chapter Three: Wind, Sea, and Alina

Buddi's silent tears and whimpering had subsided but he still clung to Ursa as though his life was depending on it. The child had since been cradled in Ursa's lap, refusing to move. Ursa could have moved him herself but she knew when visions and life became horrifying, even Barbics needed comfort. She also knew that while Buddi was strong in both body and spirit, he was still just a child.

The horror he'd seen as well as the weakness that the cold had invaded on his body had zapped his strength. He had closed his eyes and was seemingly asleep in Ursa's arms. Occasionally she would stroke his hair in a way of comfort, of telling him that she was still there.

"I think it's safe to say that that was not a normal daydream." Ursa spoke morbidly, looking down at the cub in her arms. Gritty reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. Ursa looked up at him and he spoke,

"I know that Ursa and so do you. But the question's still the same. We don't know what brought the fear on."

"He said he didn't want see me die."

"But that's about all I heard."

"But Gritty…he's so afraid. I don't want to make him talk now if he's so terrified."

"Ursa…he's a Barbic!"

"And he's a cub."

"But if you don't make him talk how do you expect us to-"

"Hush! You'll wake him up."

"Fine, I want to know what's going on. I hate being left in the dark, you know that."

Ursa nodded and felt Buddi shift in her arms. He propped his head against her chest and curled his legs up to his chest. Ursa held his body close to hers and Gritty noted that she held him like a mother would her son. She held one arm over his upper arms and had he been facing Gritty, she would have been shielding his heart. Her other arm was draped across his temple; it would have protected his head. Gritty chuckled and Ursa looked down at how she was holding Buddi and knew that's why he was laughing. Her cheeks burned a slight pink but she didn't move her arms.

"So, what do you think we should do then, Ursa?"

"I want to know as much as you do Gritty." She shot back. "But quite frankly, I'm not sure what it is. I'm not even sure that it's a vision. What if it's an omen?"

"An omen of what?"

"Destruction."

The two turned their faces down. Buddi looked up at Ursa faintly, with empty, frightened eyes. He looked first to her and then to gritty. "Destruction," he repeated.

"What are you babbling about?" Gritty asked, his usual sternness returned but there was a slight touch of worry.

"I see her in my dreams and in these visions. She's just a faint image though."

"What are you saying, Buddi?" Ursa spoke with her usual authority that said plainly to give her a straight answer and no riddles or sarcasm.

"Black," was all the child replied with.

"Huh?"

"Black, total blackness. A complete plain of night black. That's-" Buddi paused, his eyes grew large and the tremble of fear entered his voice. "stained with the blood of the lost!"

"Buddi, stop it!" Ursa shook him, looked at him sternly, hiding her worry. 

"I can feel it drawing closer."

* * *

"Sunners, Sun-Sun? Come on there, kiddo wake up."

Sunni sat up slowly, her head throbbing. She opened her eyes slowly but her vision was smeared. She blinked and it slowly cleared. She was in her bed, and a cloth had been draped over her forehead. She looked down at the hands that held her. They were sky blue. And those nicknames were familiar. She smiled as her vision cleared.

"Oh, hi Gusto."

The artist took on a relieved expression and helped her sit up a little more. She rubbed her head and said,

"Ow, that smarts."

"What happened, Sunners?"

Sunni met eyes with the artist. She remembered. Tears filled her eyes and she said softly, "The vision."

"Say what?"

"The vision. I've been getting real bad vibes lately. I didn't think much about it or I tried not to. But then tonight I got a vision. The dark form is always there. She's evil, heartless. She carries no mercy."

"Sunni…"

"She's a wave of hatred and evil. She never loses power and she will keep on going. Killing and killing, letting blood stain her hands until they bleach red!"

"Sunni Gummi!" For the first time, real sternness entered the gummi's voice. He grasped Sunni by the shoulders, gave her a good shake and said, "Stop it now! Stop it!"

"I want to! I want to! But the vision still comes. And the blood still flows. And my friends still fall, lifeless!"

She flung her arms around his neck and sobbed. Gusto looked shocked, but wrapped his arms around the yellow furred girl. She wept for some time but as her sobs subsided, Gusto spoke. He didn't know what was wrong but he knew her well enough to know that she'd need to get over the shock before she could tell him anything. He tried to think of a way to get her to calm down. Then a grin spread over his face and he spoke.

"Say, Sunners. I've been looking for a subject fro my next painting. Someone with beauty, grace and kindness. Why don't you pose for me?"

"Me?" her eyes lit up. "Really?"

Gusto smirked, "yep, in fact, let's go while my creative juices are still flowin'!"

Sunni laughed, her eyes wide with joy as she was towed from the room into the main hall where Gusto got ready to do some painting. But while she was happy, that horrid scene would never leave her eyes.

* * *

Buddi trembled slightly and Gritty increased the pressure he was applying. Of the few things that Gritty could do to comfort, massages were the best. He'd always been good at them and his strength helped immensely. Temple massages worked wonders for stress and fear, so that's what he was giving Buddi.It normally helped a great deal but right now it was just enough to keep him from babbling on about the evil he was seeing. 

"But…Ursa, I mean it. That came so clear and so vivid."

"Hush." She put her finger against his lips and Gritty increased his pressure. Ursa could see that it was slowly but assuredly beginning to work. The cub's eyes were drooping. She smiled at him faintly and spoke again, "I know that it's really bugging you Buddi, but you need to cool it. You're freaking out severally."

"No I'm not. I'm just-"

"Ursa's right." Gritty spoke up and started using all of his hands to massage rather than just his pointer fingers. Buddi stopped talking and closed his eyes. He wasn't asleep but it was starting to work. Gritty mainly used the massages on Buddi when he wanted him to sleep. It had worked when he was about six and it still worked. "You're working yourself up, relax, kid."

Buddi tried to. He had just recently seen the woman in his visions. A dark haired woman, with empty merciless eyes. Her face was very pale, almost a snow white. Her lips had not been red but midnight black, an evil looking person, if there ever was one. He could see her- no wait! He wasn't imagining things. The vision came again, not as fiercely but concentrating on that mere woman. He could see her, cold and heartless.

She stood amid the field of the fallen. Her feet were bare and humanoid. But she wasn't human. He did not know what she was. Her face was oval, like a human's but her eyes were higher, her forehead smaller. Her face itself was shorter and her ears were pointed. She had sharp teeth, but not razor sharp like some wolves and beasts, just sharper than usual. And her form was far taller than the average human, about eight feet. Her hair was long and was seemingly made of black silk. She only had a single eyelash and it covered all her upper eye before sprouting backward as a single stroke of black. Her lips were pencil thin and blacker than the night. She wore a simple enough outfit. It was a dress, long enough to reach her feet, which were bare. The dress was tight, revealing her hourglass figure. The sleeves ended at her shoulders as spaghetti straps, turned translucent with speaks of silver, and stretched to her wrists. Blood rolled over her feet.

She smirked. In each of her hands, she held skin, shaved off of bears while their hearts still beat. Ursa's was in her left. Buddi felt his heart speed up. He knew it was vision but still, how could she be so cruel?

The dark haired creature towered over him, and knelt to be beside him. She locked eyes with him. Then, slowly, she lifted Ursa's limp form, right in front of his eyes. She was still alive. She looked up at him, weakly. She smiled faintly. 

"Buddi…"

But Ursa never finished. The woman smiled again at Buddi and then plunged her knife through Ursa's neck. Blood splattered Buddi's face. And the woman..

She laughed.

"Ahh," Buddi snapped back into reality. He saw Gritty still trying to calm him down, Ursa still sitting in front of him. She asked the child, softly, 

"Buddi, what is it?"

Gritty broke in, "Tell us, please Kid."

Buddi said nothing. Those moments, those horrid moments came rushing back. He remembered what Ursa always bragged to others about: We Barbics are tough. But Buddi didn't feel tough right now. He didn't even feel brave. He was scared. He wanted comfort, someone to tell him it would never happen. Barbics never admitted they were afraid. He met eyes with Ursa and whispered.

"I'm scared."

Ursa didn't hear him, nor did Gritty. He looked at himself; Ursa had tied the blankets so that they held. He felt terrified, not wanting to admit but just as afraid not to. He remembered the Test of Bearhood and all that training he went through. But for once, he didn't care.

Tears filled Buddi's eyes. He felt his voice choke up. Then he could stand it no longer. Tears erupted from his eyes and he leapt at Ursa, flinging his arms around her neck. His sobbing voice screamed out, "I'm scared!"

Ursa was shocked. Gritty looked at her grimly. She held the child to her tightly and slowly rose. She walked off, leaving gritty, saying something to the effect of,

"Okay, okay. It'll be okay. For now, a nice glass of hot milk and then it's an early bedtime for you."

She was shielding her worry and Gritty knew it. He rose too but as he did, glanced out the window. He pulled it shut, shivering. He met Ursa's eyes and mouthed, "There's no shimmer in the moon tonight."

Ursa nodded and headed upstairs; Buddi perched on her hip like a bird. Gritty moaned, his eyes cloudy and stern.

* * *

A small figure stepped from a cave. The cave was well hidden. Carpy Mountain was full of caves but no Carpies went near this one. The girl that emerged stood still, silent. Her long white hair blew in her ocean blue eyes. Her pupils took on an eerie glow. Her voice was cold but soft, friendly.

"The sea is restless, the wind carries the scent of destruction and ruin."


	4. Chapter IV: Path to Ursalia

Chapter Four: Path to Ursalia

Sunni Gummi was still, her heart was racing. She tossed and turned, endlessly. No matter how hard she tried, sleep didn't come without horror. She drifted off about midnight and half an hour later awoke, sweating. She'd finally fallen asleep later at about one but at two she awoke again. Now at three she woke up again. The dreams were always the same, blood death, and darkness.

"The heck with sleep," she mumbled to herself as she turned on the light. "It's obviously not coming."

She sat in bed for some time, not saying a word, just thinking. Gruffi would dismiss her visions as imagination, Cubbi wouldn't believe her, Grammi would tell her to try and forget it, Zummi wouldn't understand the intensity and Gusto would just comfort and forget about it. She needed someone used to danger that took any possible threat seriously. She sighed. She needed the Barbics.

"Great Sunni," she said to herself, sarcasm clearly present. "They live at least a few hours journey away, and that's with the Quick cars. The tunnels are frosted over, genius."She looked around. But deep in her heart, she knew that the answer to her questions were somewhere, somehow involved and answered in Ursalia, with the Barbics.

"We went over the ice covered tunnels before," she said to herself. "It was a wild ride but it was doable. But…this time, they're practically sheets of frost." She closed her eyes and thought. Those memories of the visions came flying back, just as vivid as before. She laid there a moment more before sitting up.

"Well, I guess it's off to Ursalia, Sunni."

She walked over to her closet and drew out her winter outfit and on second thought threw another outfit into her duffel bag. Along with her outfit, she put in her personal map to Ursalia. There was a faster way than the Gummies usually took. Buddi had told her about it. It went over ice but she was willing to risk that. She was desperate.

Sunni tied her scarf around her neck, tightly and then stuck her head out into the hall. Everything was quiet and the hall was dark except for the small candle she held. The shadows on the walls flickered in and out, changing shapes as if to purposely intimidate her. It was working. 

The floorboards creaked beneath her feet, whispering sounds of isolation. She swallowed and instead focused her eyes ahead of her. But the sounds still terrified her. Then, suddenly she found herself stopping cold. She fumbled at her neck and found it bare. She had slipped on her snow outfit but then in an instant tore back to her room. She saw that she had left her candle burning so she blew it out. Then, using the lighted candle in her left hand went over to her nightstand. She located her memento box swiftly and opened its lid. Gruffi had given it to her on her thirteenth birthday. She looked through her collection of trinkets.

There was a small notebook, in which she kept the recipe for Gummiberry Juice. She'd been trying to memorize the amount of berries. The rest she knew. But she had not gotten the yellow berries down yet. Beneath that was a small ring, diamond that Calla had given her not long after she met her. The picture beside it was a portrait Gusto had done of her and Aquamarine. She also had a very small set of earrings that used to be her mother's. But beneath them all was a very small box, locked. She drew out her key and turned it in the lock. She heard the distinct click of it opening. Then, she slowly opened it. She drew out a large pendant, of a bear's face. Buddi had given it to her when she first met him. Now she wore it whenever she needed strength. 

She slipped it over her head. 

Turning to close her box, she picked her candle up. She knew the others would probably be worried but she would not be away that long. Besides, she could always have Thornberry signal them with the Gummiscope. She almost stopped to write them a note but decided against it. In the time that took, she could already be on her way. 

Sunni crept back out into the hallway and slipped into the kitchen. Reaching into the pantry, she withdrew a small bottle of Gummi Berry juice. Sticking that into her belt, she headed back down the hall to the Quicktunnel entrance. The winds weren't present here but she could feel the cold, despite her warm clothing. She looked down the risky path. Then she took out her map. She would have to take only one way, no turnoffs whatsoever, which was good for her. She slowly crept to the car and climbed in. 

Taking deep breath, she drew on her inner strength and released the brake. The car started off slowly but just as it normally did, it sped up swiftly. She noted that the ice made it faster. She swallowed again and focused her attention ahead. The speed would have pleased Cubbi but she was scared. She liked speed but not risky speed. It was lot like Buddi's fear of heights. He liked a mild height but too high made him nervous. 

She saw a waterfall ahead and covered her head. She about reached it when suddenly the car took a swift turn on the track. She gulped as she felt one side of the car lift up and it tilted dangerously to the side. But luck was with her. The car righted itself and she let out the breath she did not realize she'd been holding. 

She sighed as the car took yet another sharp turn. This shortcut would still take about two hours. She shivered and clutched Buddi's pendant tightly.

"This is gonna be a long ride."

* * *

Buddi blinked and sat up. Stretching, he saw that he was in his bed, and clothed in his night shift. The sun was already fairly high; he guessed it was around eight. The last thing he'd remembered was talking with Ursa. She'd held him in her arms until he fell asleep, he guessed. He wasn't ashamed of his behavior. He still remembered the fear. The events were still fresh in his memory. 

He got up and stole a glance outside. The wind was still cold and there was still a thick blanket of snow covering the ground. The snow looked inviting but Ursa was always extremely overprotective of him after he'd gotten sick and although he felt fine, she was one of the most stubborn creatures on the planet. 

He didn't know if she'd let him out but he hoped so. The visions had stopped for now but the memories were still sharp. Those were the kind of memories that you didn't just forget. He had a feeling they'd be with him a while. He wanted to get out and forget about them for a time. But the trick was to get Ursa to let him. Buddi had ways of getting what he wanted from Ursa but did not use them a lot. Just when he was desperate.

He slipped on a winter outfit as well as some of his boots. He normally went barefoot but not in the snow and ice. That just wasn't happening. He'd had the boots since he had moved from Barbic Woods. They were warm enough but made from a soft leather material so that he could still grip with his toes. He grabbed his hood from the nightstand, slipped that on and ran to the stairs. Storming down them, he ran for the kitchen. Worried or not, food came first.

* * *

Sunni swallowed as the car took the last turn on the track. But this time when the car lifted up, it stayed up. She yelped in fear and covered her head, tucking her body into a ball. She'd seen Buddi do that when he fell. He'd told her that Ursa taught him that almost as soon as he could crawl. Because in his words, "When a Barbic starts to crawl, they'll probably be climbing before they know how to grip."

Sunni now knew why Buddi knew it. Her impact was hard but it ended as a dull ache in her right shoulder and perhaps a mild sprain in her left. She got up slowly and looked at the Quickcar. It had tumbled off the track and was in pieces. She looked for her duffel bag and found it amid the wreckage.

After a quick tug-a-war with the car, she managed to jerk it free. She opened it and dug through, looking for her map. When she found it, she jerked it out and examined her position. She was almost done with the track anyway but there was still the battle to be fought with the Ursalian Mountains. 

She looked around for an opening and saw the exit above her. But the ladder was history. She sighed.

"Well, as Buddi would say Sunni, do it the Barbic way: the hard way."

She walked over to the cavern's edge and looked for a handhold. She located it and swiftly started upward. The rocks were jagged and tore at her hands but she kept climbing. She slipped once or twice but managed to grab hold before she fell. She had to dig in with her feet so soon her boots began to tear. She knew that Ursa and Gritty often told Buddi to work more on his mountain climbing. She knew now why he didn't like to. It was hard.

She almost reached the top when she stopped and let herself hang. It was tiring. Ursa put Buddi through this as training? What was wrong with her?

Sunni finally conquered her weakness and pulled her body up and out of the tunnel. The wind was piercing to her and she felt snow beneath her. It crunched beneath her feet but the cold also helped to numb the pain in her shoulders. But her boots were thinned so she could feel the chill in her feet.

The Mountains of Ursalia rose above her, formidable giants. 

She looked around and compared the mountains to her map. Either path would take her to Ursalia but she wanted the shortest route. She finally realized that the shortest route also happened to be the hardest. She sighed.

"Figures."

She started towards the middle mountain, one of about medium height. She'd have to go straight up and over. She began immediately, her feet already shaking with the cold. She realized swiftly that she had to have some kind of grip on her feet. Extremely reluctantly, she removed her boots and dug her bare feet into the ice. They went numb immediately and then a burning sensation took them.

"You Barbics have better have some answers."

* * *

Ursa took another bite of her plankins. They were a version of flapjacks but with the Barbic touch. They were only dissimilar in the fact that they were not nearly as fluffy but had a natural sweet taste. But to Buddi and to Ursa when she was a child, a dash of sugarcane was needed. She still used a bit. She looked up at Grubbi. He was the only one besides her still in the kitchen. The others had headed out to train. Ursa had slept in a bit. When she was worried, she slept like a drunken human. 

"Mind if I join you, Ursa?" Grubbi sat down with a mug of hot milk. They got their milk from ramas. Two of the warriors always went to gather it, once a month. Ursa smiled and nodded. Grubbi took a small jar of powdered sugarcane and added a dash to his drink. Ursa took the jar from him and added a dusting to her plankins. Then she sealed the jar and looked to Grubbi.

"I saved a few for Buddi," Grubbi told her. He chuckled. "If he ever gets up."

Ursa smiled, "He'll be here.' Less than a second later, they heard the pounding of young feet on the stairs. Ursa turned to Grubbi. "See?"

Buddi bounded into the kitchen. Ursa jerked her head toward the counter, "Grubbi saved you some plankins." Buddi turned to Grubbi, said "thanks," and grabbed the plate from the counter. He sat down by Ursa and grabbed for the sugarcane almost before he sat down. Grubbi got up to put away his own dishes but Ursa stayed still, watching Buddi.

He was struggling with the jar's top. Ursa casually reached over, took it from him, and twisted the cap off before handing it back. Buddi smiled at her.

"Thanks," 

Ursa gave him a nod and then said, "Just don't drown it in sugar alright?"

Buddi looked at her with a small grin, "Aw, Ursa you take the fun out of everything."

She just rolled her eyes and got up to put her own dishes away. But she didn't leave, just sat across from him. Buddi didn't say anything at first but he was refusing to look at her. She had known Buddi since he was less than a week old so she could tell what went through his head, at least in this instance.

"Buddi, if you want to ask me something, spit it out."

Buddi smiled at her again. "You're good."

She shook her head. "No, it's just that after a certain number of years I picked up things about you."

Buddi shrugged. "Are you gonna let me out today or act like some sort of overprotective freak?"

Ursa tried to look stern but Buddi just propped his elbows up and let his face rest in his palms. He looked at Ursa with wide shining eyes. Ursa sighed,

"Buddi, that's low and pathetic." She managed a smile and ruffled his hair. "But it works."

"I know," was the child's reply. Ursa nodded in answer.

"But," she added and Buddi winced. "I want you to take it easy alright? In fact, I'd prefer if you didn't go out into the slopes again today. There's enough snow in the city."

Buddi groaned, "Ursssaaa."

Ursa merely put her finger against his lips. "No, don't start Buddi. You know me. I don't-"

"I know, I know." He interrupted. "Barbics don't whine."

"That's right so just be grateful I'm letting you out at all. The way you acted last night, I'd thought you'd seen a ghost."

Buddi shrugged. "I don't know what I saw. Just know I didn't like it."

Ursa answered him with a smile, a look of understanding and then she dropped the subject.

"So, are you going to torment me and Gritty today?"

"Depends. What are you doing?"

"Training. Something you need to toughen up on."

Buddi rolled his eyes. "Aw, Ursa, stop. You know I hate it."

"Yes," she replied as she got up. "I do. But what about those visions of yours? If they're real do you plan to just run?"

Buddi shrugged and then at Ursa's glare said, "No."

"I didn't think so."

Buddi grinned at her, "Course not. Running's not a plan; that's what you do when the plan fails."

Ursa smiled and watched the cub run outside. He had his flute clutched in one hand. He'd find something to do. Always did.

Buddi kept running, trying to outrun his fear and worry mainly. If he kept up the pace, he was too busy to think of the danger he felt grow stronger every day. He always tried to ignore it but while he had occasional bad dreams and visions, these were persistent. 

He shook his head, trying to drown out those images. It wasn't working. He'd been running quite a while, dashing past the training Barbics. He'd have to train a little later with Ursa. She had given him a break yesterday because of the first snow. But today that would be off, more than likely. 

When he dashed past Gritty as he aimed a crossbow, the black furred Barbic looked up. The child never acknowledged him. Gritty felt a strange wave of worry overtake him. He and Ursa were the main raisers of Buddi, although Ursa was generally the main one. The two Barbics, although different in as many ways as night and day, were the closest of the Barbics. It was Ursa that had taught Buddi to walk, to swing through the branches in Barbic Woods and to throw a spear. She would teach him more, as he got older. But while Gritty was not nearly as close as they were, he still felt worry for the child.

"Oh, Buddi," the black Barbic sighed deeply. "Why do you keep it inside? You're a child. You can be afraid."

* * *

Sunni crawled up and over the final ledge. The snow was red where she laid her feet. They were numb, bleeding and sore. Her eyes felt heavy as the weakness the cold did began to sweep over her. She closed her eyes faintly but then swiftly forced them open again. She couldn't rest here. The cold was warning her. If she slept here, she'd never wake up.

"Up, Sunni Gummi get up." She ordered herself. She stammered to her feet and then swiftly collapsed again. The cold on her toes was incredible. It burned like fire. She clawed into the mountainside and finally managed to pull herself up. She looked ahead and saw the tunnel leading towards Ursalia. The Ancient Gummies sure knew how to be intimidating.

Sunni stumbled as she walked but she only fell once, when she was in the middle of the bridge leading to Ursalia. When she finally made it through the tunnel she could see the Ancient city, thriving as usual. She saw several guards on the roof. There were only two during the day, five at night. And so that boredom did not overtake them, they switched every hour. The Barbics knew her so they did not sound the alarm. They could not see how badly she was aching but that did not matter to her.

As Sunni walked over to the bridge, she heard the sound of a flute. Buddi's flute. Her heart sighed in relief. Her best friend was near her. She swallowed, tried to force the dryness out of her throat and screamed out into the city,

"Buddi!"

* * *

"Where's Sunni?"

Cubbi looked up at Gruffi's inquiry. He shrugged and bit into his flapjack. 

"Beats me, probably in bed still. Girls like to sleep."

"And how would you know, Cubbi Gummi?" Grammi's voice had a playful warning tone. "Are you one?"

"No, thank goodness!" 

Grammi rolled her eyes. "Well could you go get her please?"

Cubbi groaned but got up. He stormed down the hall and beat on her door.

"SUNNI! GRAMMI SAYS GET UP NOW!"

The child got no reply. He growled and forced the door open.

The room was empty but the bed had definitely been slept in. He ran back out into the dining room.

"She's not here."

Grammi and Gruffi leapt up, saying as one, "What?"

"She's not here," Cubbi repeated. He felt a strange tingling of worry inside of him. "Her bed's been slept in but she isn't here."

"Tummi!" Grammi turned to the blue furred Gummi and told him, "Go and search the lower floors. Cubbi, you keep looking around up here. Gruffi and I will go and check Dunywn. Zummi, stay here in case she comes home."

Gruffi normally gave the orders but that was exactly what he would have said. The group of Gummies split up and went searching. Tummi walked down into the lower levels, where watermill and Gruffi's workshop was.

"Sunni!" he heard his own voice echo but got no reply otherwise. He opened the door to Gruffi's workshop and lifted a candle into the darkness. He saw Gruffi's newest project, a few scattered tools and dust but otherwise the room was empty. The oldest cub sighed and ducked back out into the hallway. He walked down to the wheel. It was turning slowly, churning water but Sunni wasn't there either. He looked down the black tunnel. There was nothing there either.

He sighed and walked back upstairs to wait with Zummi.

*

"Sunni!" Cubbi opened her door again and looked around. Her closet door was open. Curious, the cub glanced over and saw that one of her winter outfits was missing. Wherever she is, at least she's warm. He smirked. Then, he looked and saw that she'd taken Buddi's pendant from her trinket box. He swallowed and thought of those frost-covered tunnels that lead to Ursalia. An odd panic gripped him. He ran out into the hall and down to the Quicktunnels, all the while saying, 

"Sunni, you didn't-"

He slipped on the stairs and went tumbling down the rest of them, babbling,

"Ow, ow, I hate this part of falling, ow!" He landed, slipped again on the ice and spun around in a circle for a few more minutes. He finally stopped, sat up and cursed silently,

"Stop merry-go-round. Stop."

His vision swam for a few more moments before slowly clearing. He stumbled to his feet, tripping every so often over them. He managed to stay upright in order to get to the edge of the tunnels. The eerie silence was unnerving. He felt cold and alone. He didn't know why but he had a feeling that this trip was not without reason. He didn't mean just to see Buddi either. There was some other factor involved.

He wasn't sure what but he knew for a fact that Sunni did NOT take off just to see her best friend. She hated speed that ice provided and even he wouldn't risk going over this ice. He looked for the Quickcars. There were always three here but he only saw two. And a rarely used path's road looked a bit winded and warm. He sighed.

"Sunni, you idiot."

*

"Sorry, Gruffi, Grammi," Calla spoke with sincerity and a great deal of remorse in her voice. "I haven't seen Sunni and neither has Cavin. But we'll keep an eye out," she added, seeing their chest fallen faces. Gruffi nodded.

"Thanks Calla."

The two Gummies started back to the door when Grammi suddenly turned, 

"Calla, you're her best friend. Any idea where she might be?"

The Princess of Dunywn leaned backward in thought. Perhaps…

"Why don't you check her other best friend?" she finally said.

Grammi and Gruffi must have looked stumped. Calla smiled. 

"I mean, Buddi."

Grammi looked at Gruffi. He growled. "That girl…"

"Don't Gruffi Gummi. They're Gummies too you know."

"Yeah, but they're ruthless."

"No! No they're not. They've been through worse times than us!"

"Well, still that's not-"

"Uh, excuse me?" Princess Calla broke in reluctantly. As the two Gummies turned to look at her, she grinned sheepishly. Tying her hair into its usual braid, she continued, "Is that important right now?"

The two Gummies blushed. 

"No."

The two turned and left, Gruffi calling, "Thanks Calla."

She nodded and smiled. If she knew Sunni, with Buddi was exactly where she was.

And she was pretty sure that she knew her.

*

Grammi and Gruffi's fears and suspicions were confirmed the moment they reentered the Glen. Cubbi ran forward, saying,

"Sunni's in Ursalia!"

* * *

Buddi sat on the edge of Ursalia's main fountain, playing his flute. The music helped relax him a bit but he still had a faint feeling of dread. But he couldn't dwell on that. If he did, he'd never have any fun. And he may have been a Barbic and may have had to train and be tough but he was still a child. And children know how to have fun.

The elder Barbics looked at him, shook their heads, but smiled. Buddi suddenly stopped playing and lowered his head. Had he been in Barbic Woods, he'd have been swinging through the trees. The trees had been supernaturally tall, that's why the humans wanted them. They had enough wood for their own village and then some. He had not feared the heights. He knew that should he fall, there were always places to catch his grip. He knew the trees. He was beginning to know the mountains but it wasn't the same. It was leaping, Barbic Woods had been swinging. Ursa'd always told him he was a little monkey in those trees. He wasn't used to this odd feeling in his throat. He hadn't had it in months.

He wanted to go home.

Shaking his head, he tried to clear his mind and concentrate on the present. But right as he lifted his flute to his lips, he heard a female voice call,

"Buddi!"

The cry had come from outside the city. He focused his memory and recognized it. He leapt up and raced towards the door of Ursalia. Thornberry immediately stepped aside as did the other Guard, a Barbic with a short temper, named Ryo to let the child through. He raced outward onto the bridge. The yellow Gummi girl saw him and ran to him, throwing her arms around his shoulders and crying his name again.

"Sunni!" Buddi called in shock and happiness. He hadn't seen his best friend since the Barbics and Glens had joined to beat Igthorn. It had been a couple of months. Sunni squeezed him back and then they parted. Buddi caught glimpse of the pendant she had swinging from her neck. The same one he'd given her when they met.

"Hey Sunni. Why're you here?"

She suddenly turned dead serious. "I need to talk to you Barbics about something. The visions…"

"Visions?" Buddi's voice dropped and Sunni knew from his face, those wide eyes and shocked features that he'd gone through the same thing. She nodded. Buddi looked at her and for the first time noticed how beat up she looked. He wrapped her arm around his shoulder and let her lean on him.

"What happened to you, Sunni?"

"Hard trip," was her answer.

Buddi helped her through the gate and asked Thornberry as they walked in, "Where's Ursa? I think Sunni needs some help."

For the first time, Buddi didn't have to repeat himself to the older Gummi. The knight pointed towards the main hall and said, "In the weapons room. Polishing and fixing spears, I think."

"Great." Buddi groaned inwardly. Ursalia was full of chambers and hidden tunnels but the weapons' room was the one room in the whole city that Ursa and Gritty strictly forbade him to enter. It had been that way in Barbic Woods too. Ursa would get the practice spears herself for him to train with. Buddi was interested in what the Barbics had to offer even though he hated to fight. And he couldn't see them.

Buddi shook that feeling off and lead Sunni through the walls of Ursalia. She was favoring her left foot. Her right was badly frost bitten and was bleeding. She was starting to lean on him more so he had to lean his weight against her to keep upright. The two made their way to the weapon room this way. Buddi spied Grubbi as one of the Barbics just outside the weapons' room, most likely leaving to go train. He called to him and the eldest Barbic turned to meet the youngest.

"Grubbi? Is Ursa in there?"

"Yes, why? Do you need her?"

"Uh huh."

Grubbi nodded and ducked his head back in. although Buddi was mischievous Grubbi could not see the child going into this room. Not only was he not at all liking to all the Barbics ways but to disobey both Gritty _and_ Ursa? Grubbi winced inwardly. He wouldn't be surprised if Ursa tanned his hide for that. 

The oldest Barbic looked around the room a moment before he spied their leader. She was sitting with her childhood friend, Gritty, in the far corner, fixing the broken spears. He whistled through his teeth and she looked up. He motioned with his hand. The blond haired Barbic got up, putting her spear onto the ground and then she jogged across the room and out into the hall.

"What's up, Grubbi?"

The older one smiled at her. "Not me, them."

Ursa turned and was met by Buddi and Sunni. Sunni waved at her as she leaned against her friend. "Hi."

Grubbi left the three and headed outside. Ursa looked to the female Gummi.

'Hey Sunni, what-what in the name of all the Gummies happened to you?"

Sunni managed a giggle. "Note to self: you guys live too far and the paths are not marked in the least."

Buddi laughed. "Well, apparently you're fine in the most part."

Sunni chuckled as Ursa helped her from Buddi and picked her up, taking her into the main hall. "How would you know, Buddi?"

Buddi looked up at her and said, "Cause that's what Ursa says when I can still be sarcastic."

The older Gummi smiled. "And it's true most of the time, Buddi."

Buddi smiled right back. "Didn't say it wasn't."

Ursa set Sunni down on a chair and then turned to Buddi. "Buddi, can you go fetch me some of those Barbic herbs?"

"You mean the riliun and fuil?"

"That's it."

The cub nodded and took off upstairs. Sunni turned to Ursa. "What's that? I've never heard of them."

Ursa nodded. "They used to grow everywhere in Barbic Wood but now they're hard to come across. We save them for the most part, except those two. They're easier to find."

Sunni looked at her. "You mean you guys use herbs and stuff like that for injuries?"

Ursa nodded. "We taught ourselves to make them. There's a mixture for burns and a rare one for fever. We don't use that unless the fever's high. Really high."

Sunni nodded and looked to the stairs as she heard the clap of feet. Buddi ran into the room and gave Ursa a handful of greenish and yellow roots and a pounder. Ursa thanked him and then crushed the roots swiftly, the natural water forming a smooth cream. Ursa took some on her fingers and spread it over Sunni's wounds. Buddi grasped her hand. He'd gone through that treatment himself. It burnt.

Sunni was no exception.

"Ow, pain, pain."

Ursa laughed. "Sunni, you sound just like Buddi."

Sunni swapped a look with Buddi. "Really?"

Buddi laughed and said, "Yeah."

"But you can't blame me!" he added, looking at Ursa. "That stuff burns!"

Ursa laughed and bound Sunni's foot with a handkerchief. She then focused on the burns near the child's ankle and started to soothe those. As she worked, she asked the cub,

"Where are the others, Sunni? I know that they would not let you keep walking as your feet are. Not even Barbics would."

Sunni flushed, looked down and said, "They…they don't know I'm here."

Ursa looked at her, shocked. Then gradually that look became disappointment. She shook her head and bound the last few burns. She looked to Buddi.

"Buddi?"

"Yeah?"

"Go and fetch Thornberry. Tell him to summon the other Gummies to tell them Sunni's here."

"I can do it myself," he said as he got up. Ursa met eyes with him and repeated,

"I said to get Thornberry."

Buddi sighed and Ursa looked at him again. "I know you can Buddi. But it takes longer when you do it."

"Because I'm not as strong. I know I know." Buddi let his shoulders slump. "Alright."

Ursa smiled at him with her eyes. "Be patient kid. The strength'll come."

He nodded and ran from the room. Sunni looked at Ursa. 

"What did you mean, the strength'll come?"

"Huh?" Ursa looked at the girl. "Oh, that. Well, Barbics are stronger than you Glens physically. As Buddi grows, so will his strength. It comes in a series of three growth spurts. Each one hurts. His muscles will start to develop in his arms. They won't be noticeable until about the third one. The first two are just the muscles developing and growing. They actually start to be used about the third one."

"Cool."

Ursa grinned and helped Sunni up. "Well, I wouldn't call it that. They hurt. I got my first one at about Buddi's age. It felt like my arms were on fire."

"What did you do about it?"

"Well, you can't really do much. I remember going to Grubbi, who was about twenty-five or so. He'd massage my arms for me. That would numb the pain temporarily."

"Ouch."

"Agreed."

The door opened then and the youngest Barbic reentered. He looked to his leader and said, "Thornberry said that he'd summon them as soon as he could."

Ursa nodded. "Thanks Buddi."

Sunni seemed uncomfortable so Buddi told Ursa, "Ursa, we're gonna go up to my room for a while alright?"

She nodded. "The Glens will probably not get here until late. Dinner's usual time."

Buddi nodded and tugged the Glen girl upstairs. Ursa watched the two run up together, Sunni limping slightly. The wounds would heal swiftly with those herbs but until they did, she would be in a fair amount of pain. Had Buddi been stronger, he could have carried her but his strength was latent right now. As it would be for some time. But Ursa was starting to notice the toning of his upper arms. The spurts would start soon.

She smiled and walked off to get Thornberry herself. If the Glen Gummies would act like she would if Buddi vanished, she better tell them before they had some breakdowns.

* * *

"-And then he swings the ax and the girl…she…"

Sunni couldn't say anymore and buried her face into her palms. Buddi hugged his best friend. He was scared, just as she was but he knew that she probably needed the comfort much more than he did. She leaned against him, relieved. He was the only person who'd taken her seriously. He always listened to her. 

"I'm sorry, Buddi." She pulled away and tried to regain her composure. Buddi laughed.

"It's okay, Sunni."

Sunni smiled faintly. "You've seen it too, haven't you?"

Buddi nodded. "Every night. And almost every hour of the day."

Sunni nodded. The two sat on Buddi's bed not saying a thing. They couldn't think of anything to say. They both were having the visions but they still didn't know what to do. Sunni laid down, face up and folded her arms behind her head, with a sigh. Buddi unconsciously reached for his flute and started to play.

The two stayed like that for a time. Sunni closed her eyes and listened. Buddi may not have been a boy that longed to be a fighter like Barbics usually were but by Gum that boy could play. It fell sweet on her ears and helped her relax. By the way he laid so still and closed his own eyes, she knew that it was having a similar effect. He relaxed.

The two were so caught up in their thoughts that they didn't hear the knock at the door until someone called,

"Are you two alive in there?"

Buddi stopped and called back,

"Yeah? What is it, Ursa?"

The Barbic opened the door and stepped in. Sunni propped herself up and looked over at Ursa. The boy Barbic waited, patiently, tapping his flute with one hand. Ursa sat down by the two and said,

"What's up you two? You're both so quiet. I came walking down the hall and the only thing I could hear was Buddi's flute." She turned to the cub and grinned. "Which was quite good, by the by."

Buddi smiled. "Thanks. We were talking a little bit. Ursa…Sunni had the same vision I did."

Ursa's grin fell. She looked to Sunni to verify. The girl nodded.

Ursa bit her lower lip. "Okay. Is that why you came, Sunni?"

"Partly. I figured if anyone'd listen to me, it'd be you guys."

They felt a wind blow in and Buddi got up and shut the window. He shuddered. He felt an inward chill now. His world started to spin and shift shape. He growled under his breath and said in a choked voice as he grabbed his head,

"Oh, not again."

Sunni felt the same thing and managed to lay down again before unconscious swept over her. But Buddi was not so lucky and he gave in swiftly this time. The vision was stronger, harder, more fierce. He closed his eyes, his knees gave out and Ursa dove to catch Buddi in her arms. The color had left his face. Ursa dared a glance at Sunni. The Glen girl looked the same, no color in her cheeks. Ursa picked Buddi up, supported him in her arms. She laid him down on his bed. Then, both cubs said as one, in a horrified vocie the same message Buddi had been giving her since that first vision,

"The sea is restless. The wind carries the scent of destruction and ruin."

Both cubs didn't move for an hour.


	5. Chapter V: Reunion and Warning

Chapter Five: Reunion and Warning

Gruffi and Cubbi trudged over Ursalia's slopes. When they'd found out Sunni was in Ursalia, two of them had taken off to get her and find out what was going on. Gruffi was going without a doubt and Cubbi would go anyway even if told not to, so they saved some time and told him he could come.

"That girl's gonna freeze her paws off." Gruffi had found her abandoned boots some time ago. He understood why she took them off but she could have taken the shorter routes and kept her feet warm. But that was Sunni. She was a stubborn Gummi, if there ever was one. It was her stubbornness that reminded the Gummi of Ursa and the Barbics. He didn't like that. The Barbics were Gummies but they seemed so ruthless and heartless at times. But then he supposed anyone could be but they were always content to do things THEIR way. Sometimes Gruffi wondered how Buddi had grown up with those Gummies as caregivers.

Cubbi looked over at Gruffi. He had that look on his face again. That look of distrust. The cub sighed. They were on good terms with the Barbics but Ursa and Gruffi never did get along. Ursa was kind to him and Sunni. In fact, all the Barbics were. And Buddi and Sunni were best friends. He and Gritty were close, like a pair of good friends. Grammi was a favorite of Grubbi's. Zummi was on good terms with Grubbi too and decent terms with Ursa and Gritty. Gusto had only recently met the Barbics but he was already good with Buddi and Ursa. Gritty was decent and civil with him. Of all the Gummies, Ursa and Gruffi were lucky if they could get along for a half an hour, if that. It was because they were both leaders, both stubborn, and just alike.

The cub followed his elder as they walked through the nature tunnel leading to Ursalia's bridge. Once on the bridge, the gate opened in front of them and Sir Thornberry and a Barbic greeted them. Gruffi got right down to business and addressed Thornberry directly,

"Have you seen Sunni?"

"Of course Gruffi." The knight replied. He started to count on his fingers. "Once when I visited that Glen of yours, once when you all came here to see Little Buddi take his test, once when-"

"I mean recently ya darn fool bear!"

"Recently? Recently what?"

Gruffi growled and slapped his forehead. The Barbic guard laughed and said,

"She's here. She's with Buddi and Ursa."

"Great," the bear stormed past into the city. Cubbi turned to the guard.

"Thanks,"

The guard nodded at the boy as he raced into the city, on Gruffi's heels. The grown glen Gummi stormed past the training Barbics and up into the main chamber building of Ursalia. It was here that the Barbics kept the dining room, living chambers, kitchen, and weapon room. The other small buildings were mainly deserted or used as storage.

The door made a creaking sound on its hinges as Gruffi walked in. He was met with Gritty. Cubbi called to him before Gruffi could say a thing.

"Hey Gritty!"

The grown Barbic smiled and pulled the cub's hat down over his eyes. "Hey kid. What brings you two here?"

"We-"

Gruffi interrupted him. "We're looking for Sunni. We thought it most likely she'd come here."

Gritty nodded. "She's here. I think she's with Buddi. Ursa just went up to see if they wanted something to eat."

A voice called in, "Well met Gruffi."

The Glen turned as the female Barbic walked into the room. She greeted him with a smile, but the tension had already spread. Gruffi wasn't helping. He met her gaze, serious and unfriendly almost. Ursa merely returned the gesture.

"Where's Sunni?"

"Asleep. Buddi too. Let them be for now."

"Sunni? Asleep?" Cubbi wrinkled his nose and looked at Ursa. "Do you Barbics normally just DECIDE to sleep at late day?"

Ursa smiled at him. "No," her answer suddenly turned serious and she met eyes with the Glen Gummi. Gruffi let his cruel exterior drop and met her gaze with wondering eyes. "Did Sunni have any visions earlier?"

Gruffi was shocked. Gusto had told him Sunni had fainted and seemed terrified but he had not really paid any attention. But now it sounded like Ursa was getting ready to tell him something that was not just an average occurrence. He looked at the taller Gummi and nodded. She sighed, like he'd just told her that the last Gummi had vanished from the Earth. She sighed again and then looked at both Gritty and the Glen duo.

"Buddi and Sunni just had another-"

Cubbi interrupted her. "Buddi has 'em too?"

Ursa nodded, not irritated. "Yes. They both just had another and collapsed, unconscious. They're in bed now. Sunni's in the first bedroom upstairs. Buddi's in his room, the last on the right. Last I checked, their breathing was steady but they're still out cold."

Gritty looked at Ursa. "Do you want Grubbi to save them something to eat?"

Ursa thought a minute and then said, "A little, yes. They probably will be out another half hour. You two," she added, gesturing to the two Glens, "Can see Sunni. Just don't try and wake her. I think that unless she is ready to wake up she won't." The two nodded, although Gruffi looked ready to argue. Cubbi pried him away before he could start. The two climbed the stairs and entered the first bedroom. Ursa sighed and flopped down in a nearby chair. 

"Stress. Wonderful, isn't it?"

Ursa grinned at Gritty as he walked up behind her. Before she could reject, he grasped her shoulders and started to massage them. She sighed, relieved and relaxed against his hands. It felt good. The stress and concern for Buddi was weighted on her shoulders and it felt nice to have the tense and crushing pressure rubbed out of them, if only temporarily.

Ursa sighed again. "That's good Gritty. You're good at that."

He smiled at his younger friend and leader. He chuckled and pressed a tad deeper into her skin until he felt her feminine muscles under his fingers relax as he pushed with his hands. She groaned, slightly, and leaned her head back. Her golden hair spilled over her friend's hands and he pushed it over her left shoulder and kept massaging a few more minutes. Finally, Ursa sat up and gently pushed Gritty's hands off.

"That's enough, Gritty." She pulled her hair back behind her shoulder and smiled. "Thanks. That helped."

He smiled at her and pulled her up. "No sweat. The way you worry and stress out…someone needs to knows some relaxing skills."

Ursa smiled and shook her head. Then, as she put her hair into a low ponytail said, "I think I'll go check on Buddi. I'll be back down to eat in a minute or two, okay?"

He nodded and headed for the dining room himself as his leader took up the stone stairs and down to the last door.

"Buddi?"

The female Barbic entered to see the child awake but staring outside, as if in a trance. He made no note of her, did not even acknowledge her when she sat down by him. The cub just kept staring, lost in his thoughts. Finally, she clasped her hands down on his shoulders. He didn't jump as she'd expected but did slowly turn to meet her face. 

His eyes were empty, devoid of life.

The just as suddenly, he shook his head, hard, and his vision cleared, as did his eyes. He groaned and put a hand to his forehead. 

"Ow, if someone just told me I swung smack into a tree, I'd believe 'em."

Ursa smiled. "Headache?"

He nodded. "Either that or someone decided to use my head for a drum without my consent."

Ursa shook her head, with a smile. "Well, if it doesn't fade in an hour, I'll give you a herb for it. In the meantime, Buddi, Grubbi saved some food for you, if you want any."

He shook his head. "Not hungry. And…Ursa! Sunni! Where's Sunni? How is-"

"Whoa, down boy, down." She said playfully, pulling his hands down to rest in her lap. "Sunni's fine. Gruffi and Cubbi are with her."

Buddi raised his left eyebrow. "And you call that safe?"

She smiled. "Yes, Cubbi seems to have some control. But I swear Gruffi is so-"

Buddi plugged his ears. "I can't hear you."

Ursa closed her eyes. "I know, you hate to hear us argue."

"I think everyone does."

Ursa arched her eyebrow. "Buddi."

"What?"

She shook her head again and got up. "Never mind. But come with me. I do want you to eat something."

"I said I wasn't hungry."

"I know."

"But-"

"Nope. You listen to me. You're going to eat something, no ifs ands buts or nos. Understood?"

He sighed but sent her a salute, like an army general. "Yes, Ma'am."

"Good."

The two walked out into the hallway together just as the Glens came out. Buddi called to Sunni and she broke loose of Gruffi and ran to him. Clasping his hands, she said, "It was stronger this time, fiercer and it was worse than before. More-"

"Vivid," Buddi finished. "I know."

Ursa and Gruffi met eyes. For once there was no tension, only worry and concern. Gruffi met her expression and spoke sincerely,

"Can you call the rest of the Gummies here? Could we stay here the night?"

Ursa nodded. "Of course."

She pulled Buddi down the stairs. He followed, having to run almost to keep up with her long strides. She started to tell him to hurry up but instead slowed. She kept forgetting he was so tiny. His legs were shorter. Much shorter. She was at least a good foot and a half taller than him.

He sighed in relief. "Thanks."

She smiled. "Sorry," she pulled his hat down over his eyes and said, "But your legs are so short!"

Buddi righted the hood and said, "They are not. Your legs are long enough if they reach the ground. I think you're too tall."

She laughed. Lately, she'd been easing up with the cub. Normally, she would not be so lenient with his fears and fainting. But maybe it was for best. Perhaps seeing him so terrified had snapped that pride of hers or at least weakened it. She did not care either way. One thing at a time. Food came first. Then summon the Glens and then Buddi and Sunni and Cubbi would have to go to sleep.

Sunni walked beside Gruffi and Cubbi, musing. Cubbi was sympathetic but Gruffi was having a bit of trouble believing all this. Quite honestly that did not surprise her.He had no proof. He thrived on proof and absolute positive evidence. Cubbi was more willing to accept what someone said. 

Barbics and the Glens usually gossiped when they shared a meal and tonight was no different. But Buddi and Sunni weren't joining in. Ursa and Gruffi would ask them things and they would just nod or shake their heads. If they got lucky they might get a 'Yes or no.'

Neither of the cubs ate much. Just enough to keep Grubbi from being hurt and no more. The two adults tried to get to eat more but they just shook their heads. Finally, Buddi got up and excused himself and Sunni. He didn't know what to do but he did know that if he stayed with the adults a minute more, he'd lose it. 

Ursa and Gritty watched Buddi leave with Sunni, hand in hand. 

Cubbi watched too. He sighed. He wished he could help. Maybe he could! Both of them got the same vision. The same time too it seemed. Connection. Not mere coincidence but that was an absolute connection. Maybe if he explored a bit he could find out what. But Gruffi would never let him. He'd have to wait until Grammi got here. She'd let him, so long as he didn't wander too far.

Until then…

"Gritty!"

* * *

Grammi walked around in circles, nervously pacing. Finally she turned to Tummi who was with Cavin and Calla. The two humans had come soon after Grammi and Gruffi left Dunywn.

'Well, we've been waiting here forever!"

Tummi smiled. "Not much longer. Look!"

Grammi looked out the scope to where Tummi was pointing. He'd seen it before her. A flash of yellow. A beam of yellow. She knew some of the signals. She got:

'Sunni…Ursalia…Fine."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Sunni is in Ursalia and she's fine. So-"

"Let's go get her!" Tummi shouted, getting up. Grammi nodded. Calla and Cavin spoke out,

"Can we come?"

The two Gummies considered but shook their heads. 

"The Barbics still don't trust Cavin. And they've never met you Calla. I don't think it would go well."

The two human children were disappointed but nodded their understanding. Cavin had met the Barbics. The last thing he wanted was to be greeted with spearheads again. And he didn't know how Calla would react to that. Calla was tough but to be greeted with twenty or so spears would put anyone on the edge of their nerves.

The two humans watched as the Gummies raced out to the Quickcars.

* * *

Cubbi walked along Ursalia's mountain peaks. He grew tired of waiting for Grammi and the others so he just left. He would be back soon anyway. What would a few hours do?

He wasn't sure what he was looking for. He did know that if he found it to be careful. If it could make a BARBIC pass out…now THAT was scary. The Barbic Gummies prided themselves on their strength and willpower. But to have a Barbic pass out, to faint so easy as Buddi had. It didn't make any difference to Cubbi that Buddi was a child. He was still a Barbic. Cubbi had seen the child train. He probably could have gone head on head against Sir Plucki and still not been beaten. It would have been an impasse. 

Ursa had trained him well, Cubbi could not deny that. Buddi hated it but the Knights of Gummadoom would have been awestruck by his talent. The rest of the Barbics too. But especially Ursa. Women were magicians in Gummadoom. The Knights probably would not know how to deal with a woman who fought as well as, if not better than them.

Cubbi sighed. He missed them. He was a knight among them. But unless peace came before his time came, he'd die before he saw them again. He'd have to wait one hundred years. Gummies lived much longer than humans but not a hundred years as a general rule. Besides, he'd be too old to be a knight then anyway.

Cubbi walked on some more. It was getting late. Cubbi realized suddenly that he and the other Glens had never told the Barbics about Gummadoom. There probably was no reason too but he suddenly wanted Gritty to know that his little 'partner' was in Gummi aspects, a full-fledged Knight.

Cubbi thought to Buddi. Buddi had taught Cubbi a thing or two. But Cubbi had sworn not to tell Ursa. Buddi was afraid that if Ursa found out she might think he liked training and up the hours. Despite that Ursa kept her feelings hidden, Cubbi knew by the way she looked at Buddi that he meant virtually everything to her. But Cubbi didn't understand why Buddi was so afraid to be himself. Ursa loved him as Buddi. She would always smile at him that way…when he played his music or was playing with Sunni. She'd have a smile of encouragement in training but the one of pride came when he was himself. True she got frustrated when he messed up but he thought everyone did. She might not understand the cub but Cubbi knew that she loved him. 

The cub was so wrapped up in his thoughts that his foot slipped. He yelped but then went silent as a sharp cliff edge took his consciousness. He didn't even feel the hands that lifted him from the ground and clung to him protectively.


	6. Chapter VI: Rules, Broken not Bent

## Chapter Six: Rules, Broken not Bent

Buddi walked through Ursalia with Sunni; the two were attempting to get their minds off the visions. So Buddi thought that he'd show Sunni some of the new things he and the other Barbics had learned about the ancient city. There were some things that only he knew about the city. Even Sir Thornberry didn't know some of the hidden passages.He had since learned that that was especially useful when Ursa was angry with him. 

By the time he came out, her anger had cooled enough that she was approachable.

"Wow! It's like another world in here, Buddi!"

Buddi smiled at his friend. He'd taken her into one of the secret passages. She was right. There were tunnels and tunnels, going through nearly every room in the city. It was a city inside a city. But the one thing that did bug him was the cobwebs. He wasn't afraid of spiders or any bugs really. In Barbic Woods when he was smaller and younger, he'd come in at night covered in dirt and once even raced in for Ursa when a bunch of bees caught him and wound up caught in his fur. It was just the creepy feeling of crawling legs that bugged him. And the hair thin threads carried the same feeling.

"Hey Buddi!" Sunni tugged on his arm and pointed to the small door to her right. It was half the size of the others and covered with dust and tangled spider webs. "Show me what's in there!"

Buddi pulled her back. "Sorry. I can't. That's the weapon room. To all the Barbics, it's free entry. Except me. I'm just a cub. They don't let me in."

"Why?"

Buddi shrugged. "Beats me. I guess because they're afraid that I'll hurt myself on something. The weapons are pretty heavy, except the practice spears. And a few real spears. Those had to be made especially for me, smaller."

"Well, these are inside the walls. The others wouldn't-"

"No, but they wouldn't stop searching until the found us. Besides, they know how my feet sound. And if I got caught…well let's just say I'd be hiding from Ursa a while and probably still get my hide tanned."

"You guys…always have guards?"

He nodded. "Except when they change at night. Then, there are only guards outside, for about an hour."

A mischievous grin overtook Sunni's eyes. Buddi could see it. He backed away, hands up.

"Oh no, don't even think about it Sunni. That's not happening."

"Aw come on Buddi! Cubbi's seen it. I haven't. I'm curious. Aren't you?"

"Well yeah…but I do NOT want Ursa mad at me. Not that I ever do but-"

"Come on Buddi. You're only in trouble if you get caught. And you just said-"

"That's at like four o'clock or something!"

"So?"

"Well, I…"

"Come on Buddi. Let's just pop in this morning, look around and pop out."

"Cubbi's usually the irresponsible one, Sunni. Not you."

She nodded. "But if we know what weapons you have, then we can prepare for whatever's coming better!"

"Oww, I don't-" he glared at her. "Seriously why?"

She shrugged honestly. "I don't know. You Barbics are so different, I guess I just wanna know what you differ in."

Buddi looked at her and saw the same curiosity he had. If he wasn't alone-

"Alright. I'll do it."

Sunni smiled. She was actually terrified. She was faintly curious but she guessed that Buddi had been curious himself for years. She knew him well enough that he would not do it alone. He needed someone with him and to give him the nerve to do it. If she didn't bury the curiosity now, she knew that one day it would overwhelm him and he might do something stupid.

The two started to say something else when Buddi became aware of how high the moon was. Sunni noted and asked,

"What's wrong Buddi?"

"I think I was supposed to be asleep about an hour ago."

Sunni winced. "Oops."

No sooner had she said that, did the two hear a female voice call, "Buddi! Sunni! Come out now, you hear me?"

Buddi grabbed Sunni's hand and tugged her back towards the entrance saying, "Ursa, definitely Ursa."

Sunni gulped. "She sounds mad."

Buddi shook his head. "Nope, just impatient."

He opened the door and walked through what to normal Barbics usually was a mirror. Just after he closed it, he heard a voice call,

"There you two are."

The two turned and met eyes with Grubbi. He smiled and pulled Buddi from Sunni, gently. He said to the girl Gummi,

"The other Glens want you now Sunni. They're waiting in your room."

She nodded and said to Buddi, "See ya later."

As soon as she left, Grubbi told Buddi, "Ursa's been looking for you for about ten minutes. You better go find her before she has a mental breakdown."

Buddi nodded and took off. He finally found Ursa by the dining room.

"Ursa!"

She turned and found her little one running to her. She sighed.

"Finally Buddi." 

He shrugged. "Sorry. I was showing Sunni around. You know, those extra places we found."

Ursa nodded. "I thought so. That's why I let you stay up later. But, it's late now, Little Buddi."

Buddi growled. How he hated that nickname. Thornberry had started calling him that when they moved to Ursalia. Ursa and the others liked it so pretty soon they called him that. He didn't like being reminded he was little. Ursa had had a name for him when he was smaller. She'd called him 'Baby' until he was about seven, then she stopped and called him just Buddi. Or sometimes, if things were tense or it was an emotional time, like when they lost Barbic Woods she'd call him "My Buddi."

"Ursa, are you goin' call me that when I'm all grown up?"

Ursa smiled. "Your body will be grown up but I'll always see a cub so probably."

"Great."

Ursa smiled. "Go and get ready Buddi. I'll be along in a minute. I want to tell you something."

He nodded and took off to his room. After he threw on a night shift and got into bed, the door opened. Ursa walked in and sat down by him. She took his cap off and then told him, seriously,

"Buddi, Cubbi's missing."

Buddi's jaw dropped. "What? When? Why? Whe-"

"Whoa, slow down Buddi." She put her finger against his lips. "We're taking turns searching. But I want you and Sunni to stay here."

"Why? Cubbi's my friend too!"

"I know. Sunni had the same response. But the point is that first off, we're going to be wandering far and after those fainting fits of yours I don't want you pushing yourself. You didn't eat much dinner you know. Besides, it's dark. Our older eyes are better made for seeing in the dark. And it IS late," she chuckled and pushed him down against his pillow as he yawned. "And you're tired."

"Am not," he rejected but even as he did so, he could feel his eyes threatening to close. Ursa pulled his comforter tighter around him and ruffled his hair gently.

"Yes you are. Have all the signs. Now get some sleep,"

Buddi finally gave in. The nervousness and fear of his coming risk was wearing on him.

He was asleep before Ursa closed the door.

* * *

Cubbi came to slowly. The Glen cub sat up slowly. He looked around. He was in some sort of cave, although he wasn't sure what kind. It was dry and clean. Sitting up, a new clean comforter fell off his body. He looked around again. He could see different hand made furniture, and well made at that. He was in a small bed, more a bundle of sheets mounted on a frame than a bed. It was like a bird's nest. 

"I'm glad you're up."

Cubbi whirled around and came face to face with a Gummi girl. She looked about fifteen or sixteen. She was very tall, like a Barbic. Her fur was slick, like Ursa and Buddi's. For some reason Barbics' fur was slicker than Glens. That was how her fur looked. Like it was swept down with water. Except for her face. That had the bunny fluffiness that all Glen Gummies had. And her eyes were smaller, almost an almond shape. They were the color of the ocean. Her fur itself was snow white. And that made her eyes and her coal black eyelashes stand out. 

She had on a tunic similar to Ursa's. It was a cool dark blue and stretched to the tops of her knees. Across her waist she wore a silver belt that had a small silver stick tucked away. She only had one sleeve like Ursa had. Her cleavage was clearly visible. She wore silver sandals that laced up, criss cross style to the bottom of her knees. Around her neck, she wore a chain of silver that had the mark of the gummies in the small spheres that made it up. 

"How are you feeling? Better?"

Cubbi looked her over. Her eyes were kind, like Grammi's. Her body had curves and figures like Sunni's. Her hands were tough looking, like Gusto's. And she was tall like Ursa. It was as if someone took all the Gummies and blended their different traits together to form this girl. She had a small smile, like Buddi's. Buddi smiled like her, slowly. Her eyes gleamed like Gritty's. And she had the muscles of a Barbic.

"Y..yeah. Thanks." The cub stammered. "Who are you? Where am I?"

"People call me Missy. You're in my home on Carpy Mountain. I was traveling to Ursalia when I saw you collapse. You've been here a few hours. I thought after you rested up, we might go back to Ursalia together. But not now. It's late, almost midnight."

Cubbi nodded and watched as she came over with a bowl of soup. She handed it to him. Cubbi had been wary of Grammi's cooking but this soup smelt good! He took a cautious bite. He was in heaven. This gal could cook! He was emptying it in moments. Missy filled it again. Cubbi once again drained it. He put the bowl aside and let the warm food settle. Missy handed him a cup of hot tea. He drained that swiftly as well. It was warm and felt good against his cold throat.When he finished he asked,

"Do you live with anyone? Where are your parents?"

The girl's bright blue eyes dulled. She said nothing, just turned her face away and shook her head, slowly. Cubbi clutched the mug tightly in his hands. He put his hand on her shoulder. "Oh, I'm sorry."

The girl nodded and turned to the cub. "It's okay. I've been alone for about ten years, orphaned at six years."

"Six years? How did you survive?"

She shrugged. "You learn. You live and you learn. Pain comes, you cope."

Cubbi smiled at her. "Why were you coming to Ursalia?"

"I know why your friends are collapsing."

* * *

"Sunni, why did I EVER let you talk me into this?"

Sunni shrugged as they crept along the dank hallway. Buddi had seen Ursa go to sleep a few minutes ago. But he was still nervous. The door was old. It might wake her. She was the Barbics' lightest sleeper. He was the heaviest. Ursa often joked that he'd sleep through a fire, followed by a major earthquake and flood. 

Grammi and the other Glens refused to sleep. Sunni said they could use this to their advantage. She was worried but told Buddi that he'd come back when he got hungry. Buddi agreed but that didn't erase the fear and anxiety. He had not been in real trouble since he was about eight. And if he got caught…oh he did NOT want to think about that.

The two slowly creaked the door open. It made a slight groaning noise but no other disturbance. The door had been behind the battering ram so even if someone was there they couldn't see him or her. Not that they could anyway. It was pitch dark.

Sunni lit a torch and handed it to Buddi. He cautiously waved it out. The room was empty. The two cubs slowly stepped out. Buddi looked around. Sunni echoed his thoughts.

"Wow."

"Double wow."

In all his imaginings, Buddi had never imagined this! 

The whole of the room was covered with iron racks, on which were the swords. They varied, from fancy hilts to a single handle. The fancier ones were made from silver or gold. He wondered how the Barbics had gotten them all here or if they had made some after they came from the woods.

They were all about the same size, about a foot, foot and a half long blade. But those swords were only half, no not even a third of the weapons they saw.

In the center of the room, forming an aisle were racks of spears. Buddi could see the practice spears and his own smaller spears near the end of the aisle. The others were long and looked heavy. He could never have lifted them, let alone thrown them. They had some that were duller and would have to be sharpened. Some had just been sharpened and looked like that would cut him if he just looked at them. The rest were fairly sharp but not the razor sharp like the others.

Filling the space between the aisle and the walls were racks of various weapons. They ranged from crossbows to slingshots. Across the back wall were bows of various colors. There was an individual box below each bow in which were a quiver and arrows designed for each bow. There were also small pouches of small potions to add to the points. 

Buddi felt all his doubt vanish. He needed to see this. What was Ursa worried about? He knew better than to handle the heavy weapons. And any idiot stayed away from the battering ram. But Buddi heard something behind him that made his blood run cold.

"Buddi, is this really that heavy?"

Sunni had lifted a spear and was now stumbling under its weight. She tripped forward, knocking a rack from the wall. Swords clattered to the ground. Buddi raced to her and grabbed her hand.

"Leave-now."

The two cubs started to run back to the secret entrance. But Sunni stumbled over a sword's hilt, luckily missing the blade. But her stumble knocked her into Buddi and they both fell at the base of another rack. The two covered their heads as it fell to them. 

But it never hit them.

Buddi extremely reluctantly looked up.

Ursa gave him a poisonous glare.

"Buddi Barbic, this had _better_ be good!"


	7. Chapter VII: Darker and Darker

## Chapter Seven: Darker and Darker

Ursa pushed the rack up and then locked eyes with Buddi.

Had stream begun to come from her ears, Buddi would not have been surprised. She told him through clenched teeth, in an acid voice,

"_Stay there_."

Buddi complied. Ursa walked over to the fallen swords, picked them up. Then as she settled the rack, she walked back to Sunni and Buddi. Sunni slowly said, 

"It..it was my fault Ursa. It was my idea. I-"

"That's enough Sunni." She met eyes with the girl, her temper barely contained. "Whose idea it was is irrelevant. Buddi _KNOWS _how to resist temptation." She looked at him viciously. He lowered his head, refused to look at her. "He _knows _what he's allowed to do. This isn't one of them." Ursa turned her attention to Sunni. "Go back to your room."

Sunni was scared, scared witless. She'd never seen Ursa so mad. She nodded and stumbled to her feet. As she ran, she said to Buddi, silently,

"Good luck."

Sunni vanished into the hallway. Buddi looked up at Ursa. She glared at him so fiercely that he lowered his eyes, couldn't look her in the eyes. She grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him to his feet. He still couldn't look at her. That didn't matter. She pulled him out of the room and up the stairs. She said nothing but she didn't have to. Buddi knew that he was in trouble. Her clenched fist and ground teeth screamed that.

She dragged him into his room and then slammed the door shut. Buddi started to say something but when she turned around and looked at him, he said nothing and just sat down on his bed. Ursa stormed over to him, slapped her hands on either side of his legs and looked him directly in the eye. Her own eyes were alive with anger, simmering.

"Buddi, I am about _this_ close," she held her pointer and thumb about a millimeter apart, "To giving you the tanning of your life. I want an explanation and I want it now!"

Buddi was close to crying now or at least trembling. He stalled. Ursa had backed away and now she stormed over to him, close to exploding. Buddi winced, panicked and threw his arms over his face, like she'd hit him. Ursa froze. Had she scared him that much? Did he really think she'd hit him? Her anger cooled a bit but was still there. She forced her voice to cool, to lose the caustic bite it had. Very slowly and gently, she grasped his wrists in her hands and tugged them down.

He looked at her, trembling.

Her eyes had cooled, not longer were they burning lasers of anger. She spoke and her voice was softer, calmer,

"I'm angry, Buddi, but I'm not going to hit you."

Buddi managed a nod but the fear was still there. Ursa sat by him and no longer loomed over him, as a giant. Her voice took on a fierce tone but not nearly as biting as it had once been. She tried to keep her calm, not to scare him. She was angry but she didn't want him to think that she'd hurt him because she wouldn't.

"Buddi, I want you to tell me what you thought you were doing. You aren't allowed in the weapons' room. You KNOW that!" Her voice rose slightly but not too badly. The cub nodded, slightly.

"I know. But Sunni talked me into it."

"Buddi, we Barbics have strong wills. You and I both know that. There was something that you did."

Buddi sighed. "Alright, I was curious, plain and simple. I hate to fight, you know that. I hate to train, you know that too. But with the warnings I've been getting I started to wonder more."

"More?" Ursa no longer had that angry tone, just a baffled one.

Buddi nodded. "Been interested in the weapons for some reason. I don't know why. I was afraid if I told you that you'd get the impression I wanted to use them, wanted to learn to fight. But I don't!"

Ursa smiled. "You could have told me, Buddi. I'd have been glad to take you in there."

Buddi gave her a sideway glance and threw his arms up,

"Now she tells me."

Ursa smiled again. Then turned serious again, "But you DO know that I put very few restrictions on you. When I tell you not to do something, I expect you to listen."

Buddi groaned, "I know. What do I lose?"

Ursa smiled. "You still remember how I punish you?"

Buddi nodded. "You rarely do, it's hard not to."

Ursa nodded, grasped Buddi's cheeks in her hands and turned his face to meet hers.

"Your flute, give it to me."

Buddi's face went pale. He moaned. "Ursa no! Not my flute!"

Ursa chuckled. "Your flute Buddi."

Buddi groaned but got up and opened his nightstand. He removed the instrument but before giving it to her asked,

"One song?"

Ursa raised her eyebrow but against her better judgment nodded.

As he put it to his lips, she added,

"A _short_ one."

He nodded back and played. He purposely chose one he knew that she liked. He knew she'd still take his flute away but she might cut down on the time. He looked at her from the corner of his eye. She was smiling, leaning against the bed board, listening. He played a few minutes more before the song ended. Ursa opened her eyes and looked to him.

Without a word of protest, he handed his flute to her.

Ursa smiled at him and he asked her,

"How long?"

Ursa shrugged. "We'll see. I think-"

She was interrupted by a mass of voices and one of which called,

"Cubbi!"

Buddi looked at Ursa who nodded and gestured that it was all right to follow. The two ran down the stairs and out into the courtyard. Gritty ran over tot hem. 

"Did you fix that problem in the weapons' room? What was it?"

Buddi winced, Gritty would not like this any better than Ursa did. He stayed by Ursa's side but to his surprise she said,

"One of the racks fell. I took care of it. Now what's the commotion?"

"Cubbi's back. And he brought a friend. We're going to the main hall. He says she'll explain."

Ursa nodded as Gritty took off as the crowd began to move inside. Ursa began to follow but Buddi grabbed her skirt. She turned. He looked at her, gratefully,

"Ursa?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for not telling."

Ursa grinned at him and nodded. Then the two followed the rest into the main hall. But Buddi stopped in the doorway and Ursa crashed into him. She looked at him.

"Buddi what-"

He interrupted her. "It's her.'

"Huh? Who?"

"That's the girl from my visions."

Ursa looked up. Sitting in a chair was a tall girl, looking to be fifteen or sixteen. She had fine white fur, silky like a Barbic's. And her arms had the developing muscles. She had on a tunic similar to hers. Dark blue but unlike hers it had an open mid drift. Her shoes were silver, Roman sandals like hers to her knees. Around her neck, she had a silver chained necklace. But what were most amazing were her eyes. They were almond shaped and narrow. They were also a deep ocean blue.

"Who's this?" 

The girl looked up as Ursa stepped through the crowd. She swallowed and said in a soft and shy voice,

"People call me Missy."

"All right Missy," Ursa smiled and pulled a chair up. "Where did you come from?"

"I was coming to Ursalia when I saw Cubbi collapse. I helped him out then we both came back here."

"Why were you coming here?" Sunni asked. The girl raised her head and met eyes with first Sunni then Buddi.

"I know the meaning of your visions."

Buddi and Sunni looked at each other. The Glens and Barbics looked at them. Finally, Missy said softly,

"You never told them what they were about did you?"

"No,"

"Why not tell us now?" Ursa said as she looked at them. The Barbics focused on Buddi, the Glens on Sunni. The girl tried, she really did. But her voice cracked and she couldn't. All eyes turned to Buddi. He sighed, closed his eyes. This truly alarmed Ursa. A Barbic did that when gathering strength.

This vision was enough that he had to gather strength before talking of it?

Buddi opened his eyes. "Fine…I'll tell you…"

* * *

The landscape was dark. Misty…darker than midnight skies. Then, suddenly it sprung into flame. Buddi saw it again, saw Barbic Woods scald before him, turn to ashes. Then just as suddenly, everything went pitch dark again. He looked around. There she was. That…woman.

A woman of blackness. Her hair was long, darker than dark. Her eyes were dark…darker than her hair. Her face was pale, solid white. Her lips…coal black. Her eyelashes, a single lash…thick and covering the top of the entire eye. Her forehead was small. Her ears were slick and pointed like an elf's. Her lips…pencil thin and black. Her dress…sleeveless now and covering just the majority of her breasts. It stopped once her nipples were covered. Her dress slipped to her feet, slick and black.

She knelt to the ground and slipped her hand into the earth. It wasn't earth anymore. She opened her hand slowly and rivers of blood slid through her fingers. They made pools on the ground. She knelt again and drew a blade…a blade Buddi knew.

Ursa's sword…stained with her own blood.

She drew another sword…. Grubbi's…stained with his blood.

And then Gritty's…stained with his blood.

She drove the three into the ground and the earth split. Dirt and soil spilled away, revealing the three.

Lifeless.

Cut numerous times, still bleeding.

But more than that…skinless. She'd skinned them. Buddi could tell by the look of pain and horror on their faces that they'd still been alive when she'd done it. She had let them bleed to death. Buddi covered his eyes. When he opened them, those Gummies were gone.

But he saw the Glens now. Saw their home first.

In flames, the same way Barbic Woods had vanished. He saw it burn and burn become a pile of ashes.

Then that scene vanished and he was looking at the Glens themselves.

Gruffi..tough and unyielding.

Then, Igthorn appeared…welding an ax.

Buddi started to run to hold him but his legs refused to move. He screamed when he saw why.

Skeleton arms, with flesh and fur barely clinging to the bones were holding him. He looked at them and was even more frightened and repulsed. He knew these Gummies…Grammi, Zummi, Tummi, Gusto…C..Cubbi!

They pulled him down, pried at his body. Tried to pull him down. The ground around him turned to blood, bubbling…an ocean of red blood. He clawed for solid ground but his head kept above for a reason he was even more terrified by. 

Igthorn swung…Gruffi was divided into two halve instantly. Blood spewed over Buddi's face. Tears fell and he started to scream. Then…Sunni appeared. He called to her but she merely sighed and shook her head.

Skeletons ripped from the sea of blood, ripped her apart before his eyes. He screamed again.

Then, a strange white Gummi appeared…the same one he'd seen before. Her hair blew into her tearful eyes as she whispered,

"The sea is restless Buddi…the wind carries the scent of destruction and ruin.."

Then that black woman walked over to her…plunged her hand straight through her body.

She held her beating heart in front of Buddi's face and the skeletons tugged him completely under.

He couldn't even howl for help anymore.

There was no one left to come…

* * *

Buddi looked at the others, rubbed his arms, trying to ward off that chill.

The Barbics were horrified.

The Glens were repulsed. 

Only Missy was calm but even she was struggling.

"Buddi…" Ursa walked over and hugged him tightly. "_My _Buddi…why didn't you tell us?"

Buddi said nothing. Ursa tightened her grip and her hands fell to his head and chest again, shielding him. He nuzzled deep into her chest, let her hold him. Ursa could feel him trembling. That had been the vivid one he'd just had. Sunni was glad Buddi told it. She'd never have made it. 

Ursa felt someone tap her shoulder. It was Grubbi. He handed her a mug of hot milk, which she handed to Buddi. He drank and Ursa asked him,

"Does that help?"

Buddi nodded.

Missy got up and said,

"It's a warning."

Buddi looked at her, fearfully and clutched Ursa. She hugged him tightly and turned to Missy.

"You mean that will happen?"

Missy shook her head.

"Not exactly. See, when I was born I was born with three unique gifts because of my heritage."

"What heritage?" Grammi asked. Missy sighed.

"My mother was a Glen Gummi like you. But my father…" she turned to Ursa and the other Barbics.

"But my father was Barbic."

The Barbics looked at the Glens.

Missy continued,

"My gifts were these: I have immense strength…stronger than ten adults if need be but it drains me if I use it too much. Second, I'm blessed with the ability to heal with a touch. Third, I'm cursed with a sixth sense."

She swallowed and said, 

"I know who that woman is. I saw her in my visions. As to why I appeared in your visions or why only yous aw them, I'm not sure."

Sunni asked softly, "Who is she?"

Missy motioned them closer. "I saw her in my vision. Her name's Celina…the Bringer of Destruction…"

* * *

Igthorn sat in the ruin of his castle. Toadwart slept at his feet but the former king was silent. Then a strange light and voice disturbed the silence. 

"You long for revenge and your throne?"

"Who's there?" he drew his sword and waved it about.

From the darkness came the dark woman. She smiled, evilly.

"I can grant you that. I've seen the future. The Gummi Bears always interfere.

"I nearly got them!"

"Granted Igthorn but you forgot those in Ursalia."

"The ones- of course those Barbics."

"Yes,"

"I can easily be rid of them!"

"Do not be so sure. Those are warriors. Even the little one."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying Igthorn that you're attacking the body of the snake. How do you kill a snake?"

"You-"

"Cut off its head."

"You're saying?"

"I'm saying attack the leaders. Get rid of the leaders!"

"Ursa and Gruffi? But-"

"No! You cannot rule in the present. But you will rule in the future. Attack their future leaders."

"Future leaders?"

"Ursa and Gruffi will still be leaders but there are two that will turn the tide."

She smiled. "I'll tell you who there are in time. I'll aid you. But you must allow me to stay and rule by your side."

Igthorn smiled. "Of course…"

"Celina."

"Celina."

The two smiled and Celina offered him her hand. He took it. She grinned.

"I can plan. And I already have one."

* * *

Missy got up. "I believe that I'll be more of an aid to the Glens. She turned to Grammi.

"If I may?"

Grammi nodded. "Of course child. Any Gummi is welcome in our home."

Ursa and Gruffi looked at each other. Finally Gruffi said it.

"Will we work together? Until this threat is over?"

Ursa looked at him, the Glens, Missy, the other Barbics and finally at the child hugging her tightly. She nodded.

"We will."

* * *

Celina cursed. She'd forgotten about the hybrid. She'd caused the human attack that cost the girl her parents. She could ruin everything!

Then, an evil smirk overtook Celina's face,

"Unless…she isn't here to interfere…

End of Part One

To Be Continued…


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